Braiding-machine.



W. T. LE BLANC.

BRAIDING MACHINE.

APPLIUATEON FILED PEB. 19. 1908.

Patented May 4, 1909.

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W. T. LE BLANC. BRAIDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 19, 190B.

Patented May 4, 1909.

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W. T. LE BLANCVV BRADING MACHINE.

APPLIUATION FILED PEB. 19, 190e.

920,589. Patented May 4, 1909.

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W. T. LE BLANC.

BRAIDING MAHNB.

APPLmATIoN FILED 1113.19. 190s.

Patented May 4, 1909.

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W. T. LE BLANC.

A A BBAIDING MACHINE. nrLxoA'nonr Hum H1B. 1s, 190s.

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UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIoE.

WILLIAM T. LE BLANK, 0F NEW YOTth, N. Y.

BRAIDING-MACHINE.

To all whom `it may concern.'

Be it known that l, \`\,`n.L1.xM'l". Ln BLANC, a citizen of the [initrd States, residing in the borough of Brooklyn, cit \Y oi New York, in.

the` county of Kings and State of New: York,

have invented certain neu-.2' and use-inl lmprovements in lh'aiding-liiachines, of which the follov. ing is a specification.

This invention relates to braiding machines, and has for its object to .n'ovide improved mechanism of this class or eiiecting nevf results and in u hich the number ofA parts of the mechanism is minimized.

One important feature of my invention relates to a structure which will permit, by the simple reversal of certain easily accessible portions, the making of either Whipdash or basket braid. By basket braid is meant braid of ordinary plain neave vwherein each thread passeslover and under the suecessive threads ofthe other series, and by whip-lash braid is meanta braid in v. hich each thread vasses successively over ts'o threads and un er tivo threads of the other series, one of said two threads being passed over and one being passed 'under b f each of the threads at the respective sides o the thread in question.'

A fuller understanding of this latter form of braid may 'be had by reference to United States Letters Patent No. 858,735, issued to Jacob Lundgren, July 2, 1907, for braiding machines.

Among the features of this invention may vhere be mentioned that which relates to rotating a pair of su ierposed tables in opposite directions each o said tables carrving, or heing effective to forward, a series of bo )bins in an annular orbit. Flach of th(` tables "..ill he effective for-controlling the hobbins or thread of the other table. Tn the present instance cams will be provided u von each of the tables the boh iins or threads from the other tab ein certain movements made relative t0 the bobhins or threads upon the controlling table. ln the illustrated lstrut-- `ture the threads from the hobbins carried upon the lon-er table are caused to pass over and under the threads of the bobbins carried by the upp'er ble by means of a single ram on the.upper table. 'lhe upper table has e. cani in fixed relation to the bobbin iosition u on it for timing the rise and tal of the t lreads from the izohhins upon the lower ta- This assures n. proper timing ol' the rise and fall of the thread relative to the hohbins which it Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led February 19, 1908.

Patented May 4, 1909.

Serial No. 416,?30.

l passes. The threads from the lov` er table in their moven'lent past the connections betv een the bohbinsv upon the ulpper table and this table are controlled by t 1e upper table to etiect their proper timing. In this manner all the timing is effected by moving cams. The mechanism for moving the threads from one series of hobbins v. hich n ill pass thebohbins of the other series is so constructed that the movement of thc parts vwill not affect the length of thread betncen the braiding point and the bobbin from which the thread is drawn. This feature is narticularly useful in norking upon ire. 'l e illustrated structure for obtaining this result is by having the Ways for the thread guide which is reciprocated struck on an are havin for its center the braiding point oi the mac line. Forthe purpose ofv simplifying the cani contour v-hieh is to control the rise and fall of the thrrads the threads are controlled in pairs, a single connection being afforded for each of said pairs u ith the cam. To further simplify the cam construction, particularly for the u hi `-lash form of braid, the levers for control ing the respective pairs of threads will be 'n.lternatebv pivotrd at dil'erent fulcrurn points relative to their points of connection with the cam so that levers' of the first and third. class v. ill alternate one u ithin the other. By having the threads controlled in pairs it is possible to employ a single cam groove in the manner herein contemplated.

In the drawings accompanying and forining a part of this specification Figure 1 isa side elevation of a practicable embodiment of a formel' my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section of the device shown in Fig. 1, taken on a plane at about the line 2-2 of Fig. 4. Fig. 3 is a detail taken on a horizonial plane at about the line 3- 3 of 1"'0'. 2. Fig. 4. is a iop plan View oi mechanism iustrailed in Fig. 1, in this tien', however, the arm lor r-:npporting (he hike-oil' is not illus-- traten. Fig. 5 is a vertu-el sect ion taken on a plane ad about th(` liuc 5;-5 of Fig. 4. Fig. is en undersidt` plan view ol the lower table. Fig. 7 is un colar ed perspective view ol' om` of the upper iobbm carriers. Fig. S is n perspective 'vien similar to Fig. 7, ybut `showing the addition ol :utili-Friction rollers Fig. E) is an enlarged section someu'ha'tsilnilar to Fig. 2 but taken upon a different nngular plant` and shows the lever .connection formelting basket bruid. Fig. "1-0 is :i diagramnullic vien' illustrating the the carrier for the upper bobbin.

scribed in` its adjustment 20. is mounted reference character 27.' .f

with the gear wheel 24.

:table `and fast with tbe lower table.

5 bobbin carrier and one of its actuating pins or bolts. Fig. 12 is a top plan and end view ol'Y one of the arms for controlling the movement of the lower threads. Fig. 13 is ai side View of said arm. Fi 14 is an enlarged section 10 taken through t e cam on the lower table at its lowest portion and throu h the cams on the upper table at their hig est portions; and is for the purpose of illustrating more fully thepassage ol' the lower thread under ."ig. 15 `repr sents an example of whip-lash brai; and Fig. 16 represents an example of bas et braid l The illustrated mechanism 'ill 'first be deor producingr whip-las braidf-this trede term has"\pre vously been sufficiently explained it is believed for the present.

'l standard 1n the form of a 4tubular shaft u on a base 21 and is held from rotation. llipon the standard 20 is rotatably mounted asleeve 22 which carries the nnter geer- 23 in mesh with a ruiter gear 24, fast upon the driving shaft 25, whieh shaft 30 will be driven at u suitable rute of speed from some convenient souri-e of power, not shown. 'l`he upper table 26 is fast with the sleeve 22, and carries the upper set of bobbins, designated without reference by the ring 222 is employed for preventingl the upward displaeement of the table 26. 'l he hub of the miter gear wheela is supported by a shoulder 2.) upon the lsleeve 22, which gear is in mesh 'lhe lower table 3() rests u 'ion and is fastened to the hub of the i ear wheel 28. "By means of the connection Just referred to the tables u ill be rotated at the same speed in opposite directions. The

lower table carries the lower series of bobbins, designated without preference by the reference character .'sl, .said lower bo )bnn-1 cach being mounted upon suitable brackets l 0r carriers 32 earried by the underside, of the i table. l Although the weight ol' the upper bobbins will be carried by the lower table, yet in view of the fact that these. upper bobbins are forwarded and controlled in their revoV lotion in their orbital path by the upper table, it is deemed proper to say that the up er bobbins are earried by the upper` tu le. Each of the upper bobbins is mountedm a carrier 33, the earner.; eaeh having so portions 34 for running in u track groove in t support 35 carried by arms 315 i'ast with the lower table and alf-.o portions 3'7 running in a track groove in a ring 38 mounted for free movement upon the outer edge of the u )per s a ingl point.

convenient means for mounting the bobbins in the carriers 33 the .pin which passes through the bobbins will engage with a hole 4() at one end and a slot 4l at the other end, a suitable .springr 42 being eniployed for holding the pin in the said slot; and n tension device 43 is shown for tel'isioningthe thread as it is drawn from the bobbin. ln- Fig. S

the bobbin carrier is shown provided with.

anti-friction rollers 44; for ruiming in the track grooves At eaehend of the bobbin carrier there is provided a. pair of lingers 45 between which a slot 46 is formed for the engagement of pins or bolts 47, which are carried by the upper table, passing through suitable openings therein, and are controlled in their vertical movement, which movement eil'eets their engagement and disengagement with the fingers 115, by a cam groove 5U made in a iange 51, fast with the lower table. An anti-frietion roller 52 is provided upon the end of each of the pins for running in the cam groove 5U. Two ot these ins will be provided for each carrier and wl l be caused to alternately become disengaged troni the carrier for the purpose ol' permitting the passage olI a thread from the lower bobbin earrier between the carrier und the tulile. 'l`he thread from the lower bobbins is caused to move. up and down by nrc-ans ol' suitable thread guides 513 alla )ted to lnove in ways 54, and to be moved y a link 55, said links being connected in pairs to levels 5G, ear-h ofthe levers 5G is provided with two :rrlns 5T and is Y--shaped in general outline. ln the iresent instance there are shown eight upper liobbins and eight lower bobbins, und there are shoe n lour oll these levers 5U. llpon the lower side :l' the lower table there are shown u. pairol' hangers SH-Hv-[ztl lor eueh ol' the levers 5G. 'llie levers 5o will be pivoted by means of pins (ill to one or the other oll the hangers ol` its, pair. 'lhe pins (it) at eaeh end are provided with eyes GOO-through which the thread will be passed in being carried l'ronl the bobbins to the thread guides. lt will be noted that the guideways 54 are eulved, the curvature having for its center' the braidy this means as the thrmtd is moved u 'i anddown in the thread guides .33 the lengtlh ol' the'ad between the spool or liobbin and the vbraiding point will not var v es itis raised and lowered in its passage over and under the bobbins ol' the. other series. 'lhe pivoting dependirugl in eueh instaure upon the. euin formation being -r-nipldved ln lnanyvinstan'ees of braiding` ull the loner threads will be raised and lowered in unison, and when making what is eonnnonly known as whiplash braid, that is, a bruid wherein each thread alternately passes over two threads and under two threads, the arms or levers controlling the thread movement will remain in an elevated position long enough for two lili) osmose hobbiris to, ass under each thread, then will be guickly owered and held in the lowered position until two hobbins have passed over each thread. This inav be effected by such a cam as is illustrated herein, which coinprises a flange 61 fast with the upper table and in which there is a cam groove 62; the outlines of this groove may bc seen depicted in Fig. 10, and it will be seen that it has two low portions, from 2 toS, that is, considering' the figures upon the inside of the diagram, and from 18 to 24; and two high portions, from l() to 16, and from 26 to 32. lf the levers 56 are alternately pivoted to the hangers .58 and 59 and are connected by means of the pivot 63 to their actuators 6l this cam construction will cause the links 55 to raise and fall in unison. The high pail of the cam being effective to raise the worle ing end of the levers of the third class and the low parts of the cam being effective to raise the working ends of the levers ol the irst class.

The actuators 64 carry pins 65 and an anti-friction roll 66 for runnin in ihrA cam rooves, and the actuators wil be .sh-adied iietween the flange 61 and the flange 67, which carries the cam groove 70, by means ol' sleeves 68.

Yv-Vhen it is desired to make the ordinary form of braid known as basket weave, the roller 61 will be caused yt0 traverse the Cain groove 70, which, by reference to Fig. 10, as willV be seen, has four low portions, l` rom 2 to 4, from 10 to l2, from 18 to 20, and from 26 to 28 respectively; and four high portions,

forni yof braid; and Fig. i) showsthe enlployment of ram gioovr- 7) for the basket weave form of braid.

The roper coi'iperation between the raisi ing aiu lowering ol the threads from the lower bobbins and the raising and lowering of the pins 4T will be efl'erted by having the cams which rontrol the movement of the lower thread carried by the upper table which controls the angular position of the upper bohhin carriers, and of having tlief i'noveinent of the pins, which are to rise and fall to permit the passage of the thread :from

the lower hobbins which are carried by the lower table, controlled by the movin-.lent of said lower table.

The various cani grooves 50, 62 and 7() may travel in an oil hath, there being provided upon the lower table a pair of integral finngcs 75 and 7G. "l`he flange 75 is provided with a nuiriher oloil ockets or eirenmferential grooves 77, which in coperal and fall in iinison, and to pass over and un der the successive hobhin Fig. 14 shows the i use of the rain groove 62 for the whiplash l tion with the flange 7S which supports pins 47, will prevent. oil l'roni working out hetween the 'llange 75 and the top plate, and the flange 76 will riinin a groove 79'in the lower surface ol' the top plate and prevent l oil from working out in this direction.

l l have not illustrated any mechanism l herein for taking oil" the iinished braid 80, other than an arm 81 through which it l )asses The foundation 82 about which the braid is niade will pass up through thc hollow inteiior ol' the spindle 20.

The operation ol' the machine is substantinlly as follows: The bobbins, suitably i wound, will be placed in their carriers, and the thread as it is drawn i'roin euch bobbin will be tensioned; but as the particular means for el'eeting the tension foi-ins nopurt of this present improvement it has not been described in detail. The. thread from the Lipper bohbins will be carried directly to the braiding point ol' the machine, which in the present instance is represented iis just below the end el the take-ofi arm Sl 'lhe thread l'roin each of the lower bobbins will be carried through the eye GUN at the fulcruin of the lever 56, will be carried through an e e at the pivot between the linkl 5 and tlie arm. 57, and from thence to the thread guide 53, which thread guides, as was before stated, will move in the ways 54 which are formed in an are struck from the braiding point as a center, threads will then be earried from the thread uides 58 to the braid- 'ing point. If it is esired to makewhiplash braid the levers will be pivoted as illustrated more particularly in Fig. 6, wherein two levers are pivoted to the hangers 58 and are connected to the cani engaging member" at a point intermediate their working points 550 and the fulcrum, and will consequently be regarded as levers of the third class. 'lhe alternate levers are fulerumed to the hangers'59, and since the fulcruzn is between the l, point of connection with the cam eng ing member and the Working point 550, t ese levers will be regarded as levers of the first order. In the present illustration there are l two series of bobbins, an upper series and a l lower series. In each ol' which series there l are eight bobbins. The. threads from the lower series of bobbins are controlled in pairs and consequently there will be half as inany in number of levers. as there are bobbins of the series7 and since the leversare i difierentlypivoted one lroin the other the earn groove has a series of elevations and n series of depressions hall' as many in number as there are levers. 'l`his serves a usel'ul l function, not only in enablingy the produrtion of the desired forni ol' braid, but sirnpliiies the cam formation.

When itis desired to make a basket weave. on this machine the change will be effected merely by removing the cover plate 90 and slowly turning the tables, and as each eam engaging member 64 becomes adjacent the opening, raising it and turning it until its roller 66 runs in the eaili groove 70, and also the levers 56 will all be pivoted to the hangers 58. ln making the whip-lash braid all the threads will be up at one time, and eaeh thread will pass over two bobbins, when the threads will all descend in unison and enter the gi'ooved slots 38() in the ring 3h'. 'Just rioil te the time the tirst ol thepins 47 l'or oiwaiding the upper carriers arrives adjacent to such slot the. eain groove FtlwillV lower the first ol said pins 47 and the thread will pass between the lingers l5 and4 the end of the pin 47. The cani groove .U will then raise the pin 47 whieh it has just lowered and lower the seeoiid pin 47, permitting the thread to pass between sizeh pin and the pair ol' lingers t5 whieh it engaged. In this manner eaeli ol the threads lion the lower bobbiiis will pass under two ol' the upper bobbins and then the eaiii Egroove nl! will raise all the threads in unison between the upper bobbins and will eause sueh thread to )ass over two olI surh upper bobhins hel'oie it is again lowered.

lieferrin,"v to Fig.' 15, whieh is an example of whip-lash braid, the following will be observed: Thread (L passes under threads l and 5 and over threads 7 and (i. 'lhiead [i passes under threads 2 and l, over threads 5 and (i, and under thread 7. rlhread e passes under threads b and .2, over threads and 5, and under threads 6 and 7. Thread d passes under threads 4 and 3, over 2 and l, under 5 and 6, and over 7. 1t will be seen by this wein e that the passage ol' thread e is direetl)r the reverse of that oll thread a., siiiee it passes uiidei' the threads which ri` passes over, and it will be seen that thread e, wliieh is the lil't h thread passes under the thread wliieh o passes under, namely, under l and 5, and it passesY over the threads whieh fi passesr over, namely (i and 7. 1t will also be seen that although eaeh thread passe.`l over two threads and then under two threads, vel it will not pass over the. same pair and under the saine pair which the threads at eaeli side ol it pass over and under. By referring' to l In'ead I' and thread 5 in ihis eonneetion it will readil \Y be seen that the l'oregoinzglr statement is eori'er't. 'l`he threads all ei'oss in the saine direeiion upon lines wliirh biseet the angles l'orined by the threads in erossing'.

Vig. lt represents a torni oll plain weave, wliieh has in the foregoing desei'iplion heen referred to as basket braidln this illnstfation some of the threads have heen numbered It), 9, 5. 7, and the erossing threads, (,f, y and li.. It will be noticed that eaeh ol these threads passes under one thread and then over one thread, and that eaeli thread passes under and over the thie'ads which its immei l l l l In a braiding machine, the combination with means for carrying' a series of bobbins,

means for rotating said carrying means `for revolif'ing a series ol' hobbiiis carried thereby, means for supporting,r a second series of bobbins for orbital moven'ient, a rotary member and means carried thereby in 'fixed positions loi' engaging bobbins upon said supporting means, a means fast with the said carrier for actuating said bobbin engaging means, and means for shiftingl the threads from bobbins carried by the said carrier between and around bobbins upon the said supporting means and embodying an actuator last with the said rotary member.

2. ln a braidiner machine, the combination with a pair ol' superi nposed tables mounted for independent eoa'xial rotation, ol' means for rotating' said tables in opposite directions, bobbin earriers last upon the lower table, ineaiis l'or supporting' a Iseries ol' bobbins for revolution abore the lower table, pins carried by ilie up )er'table inlixed positions for engaging bobbiin upon said supporting' means, a eaiii last with the lower table lor actuating said pins, means' l'oi' raising and loweringr threads troni the bobbiii earriers oll the lower table l'or passing; the saine over and under bolibiiis on said supportingr means and enibodying a eain fast with the upper table.

Il. ln a braidingr inaeliine, the eoinbiiiation with a pair ol' superimposed tables mounted l'or independent rotation, means l'or rotatingr said tables in opposite diieetionsy liobhin ear riers i'asl upon [he lower table, means l`oi'siip porting' a series ol' bobbins l'or revolution above the lower table, pins larried by the upper table lfor engaging); the bobbins oll said series, a rain earried by the lower table for actuating;` said idas, means l'or raising and lowerin,r the threads l'i'oin the lower bobbiiisJ to )ass over and under the u )per bobbiiis anti einllodjiiier a rain Carried br the upper table.

4. ln a braiding;l iiiaeliiiie, the combination with a series ol' la'ibbius, ineaiis for i'ei'ilving said bohhins through a lixed orbital path, a eooperat ire sei ies ol' bobbins, means lor re \'ol\'inl thaw through an orbital path iii the opposite direet ion, and means for eausing the t breads l'roin one series ol bobbins to pass the bolbins ol' the other series, and embodying;r a ram l'ast with the means l'or rotating the hobbies wliieh are passed by the said threads.

o. Iii a braiding machine, the combination with .in u `per and a lower table rotatable in opposite ilii'eetieiis, a series ol" bobbins conneeted to eaeh oi' said tables and rotatable thereby` a cani groove on the up er table for controlling the movement of thet iieads from the. lower hobbies in passing theupper bobbins, and L cam groove on the lower table for controlling the connection between the upper table and its bobbins.

6. In a braiding machine, the combination with two series of bobbins, each series .en1- bodying in number a multiple of four, means for revolving said serios in op l)osite directions, a series of levers, embodlying hall as many in number as the bobbins in a series, for controlling thelower threads in their passage over and under the threads of the upper series, and each embodying means for controlling two of said threads, a cam having a series of elevations and a series of depres sions, each series embodying half as many in number as there are levers,- a member pivoted to each lever and engaging said cam, the fulcrums of said levers being so arranged that levers of the first and third class will alternate one with the other, whereby all the threads will be raised and all the threads will be lowered at the same time. s

i7. In a braiding machine, the combination with a lever, means for rocking the same, a

member for carrying the thread from the bobbin, segmental ways havin as a center the braiding point of the machine, a thread guide mounted on said uideway, a link connecting the thread gui( e to the lever, and a thread guide at the fulcrum of said lever.

8. In a braidin of two rotary ta'blges concentrically mounted, means for rotating these in opposite'directions, a series of bobbins for cach table,

means for connecting the bobbins to the re spective tables, means for causing the threads from the bobbins on one of said tables to pass at the res ective sides of the bobbins on the other tab e, a` air of flanges carried by said other table anrll ble, each flange having on its face directed toward the other flange a cam groove, the grooves differing in contour, and a member for actuating the thread passing means earried by said first table between. said flanges and constructed and adapted for engaging either of said earn-grooves.

0. In a braiding machine, the combination with a series of bobbin carriers and means for revolving the same, of a second series of bobbin carriers, means controlled by said carrier revolving means for assing the thread from bobbins carried b t e second series of carriers between an about the carriers of the second series.

10. The combination with a series of bobbin carriers and means for revolving the machine, the combination directed toward the first tasame, of a second series of bobbin carriers and means for revolving the second series, means for shifting the threads from the bobbins carried by the second series to cause the same to pass the bobbin carriers of the first series, and means canried with the first series for actuating the shifting means.

il. 1n' a braidin machine, the combination with a series o bobbin carriers, a track for said carriers, a rotary member', forwarder devices carried by the rotary member and constructed and adapted for engaging and disen aging the .said carriers, a second series of bo bin carriers and means for guiding the threads from bobbins carried thereby, means for moving the threads from bobbins carried by the second series of carriers between the carriers of the first series and between these and their track and embodying aca'm fast with said rotary member, and means for actuating said forwarder devicesto engage and disengage the carriers in proper timing relative to the said thread movement, and embodying a cam having fixed relation to the position of the thread guiding means of the second series.

12. ln a braiding machine, the combination with a seriesof bobbin carriers, a track for said carriers, a rotary member, forwarder Vdevices carried by the rotary member and constructed and adapted for engaging and disengaging the said carriers, a second series the same, means for passing the threads from bobbins carried by the second series of carriers between the carriers of the first series and between these and their track and embodying a cam fast with said rotary member, and means for actuating said forwarder devices and embodying a cam controlled b the means for revolving the second series o car- 11ers.

13. The combination with a series of bobbins and means embodying connections constituted for engagement and disengagement for revolving the same, a second series of bohhins, means for shifting the threads from the bobbins of the second series to cause the same to pass the bobbins of the first series, and means carried with the first series for actuating the shifting means.

Signed at Nos. 9-15 Murray street, New York. N. Y., this 17th day oFebruary, 1908. 

